The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers intends to award a sole source cost type Research and Development contract to University of York as a follow-on to contract W912HQ-06-C-0051. The description of the requirement is as follows: The services are to further the understanding of RDX and TNT by phytoremediation with engineered plants. Aligned with this purpose, the main objective of this project is to engineer transgenic grasses to contain and degrade RDX in the root zone of explosives-contaminated soil. The expression in plants of a novel RDX-degrading cytochrome P450 gene, XplA, an enzyme known to degrade RDX to harmless metabolites, will be investigated. Since munitions often consist of both RDX and TNT, it is necessary to engineer resistance to TNT, as this explosive is highly toxic to plant systems. The work to date has shown that transgenic grasses expressing XplA can successfully remove RDX from explosives contaminated soil, thus demonstrating proof-of-principle with regard to the potential use of these grasses for remediating RDX on ranges. It has been determined that a follow up study is needed to develop and characterize optimal transgenic plant lines for use in the field. The NAICS code for this requirement is 541712. Specific objectives for the follow-on work that will be conducted by the University of York include the following: Objective 1: Transformed Grasses Greenhouse Studies The transgenic lines will be tested through a series of greenhouse studies to determine the phytoremediation potential of the transformed grasses, select lines for field trials and determine the most effective treatments to implement in the field. Objective 2: Insect Herbivory on Genetically Modified Plants Before introducing the xplA, xplB and nfsI transgenes into plants it is important to know any adverse affects on herbivores ingesting the plants. Results to date indicate that RDX degradation products have not been found in planta and are likely metabolized by endogenous plant enzymes. Thus xplA-expressing plants are unlikely to have adverse effects on herbivores. To confirm this, studies will be conducted to monitor the effect of insect herbivory on our xplA, xplB and nfsI transgenic lines. Objective 3: Impacts of Genetically Modified Plants on Soil Microflora One of the overall aims of phytoremediation is to decrease the toxicity of the contaminated soil to allow the indigenous microflora to flourish. Soil bacteria play an essential role in ecosystem processes, including decomposition; thus a decrease in microbial biomass and diversity, resulting from exposure to toxic chemicals such as TNT, negatively affects soil function. It is therefore important to determine the impact of genetically modified grasses on the ecotoxicology of TNT and RDX contaminated soil. The project team will investigate if genetically modified grasses can positively influence the functional and genetic diversity of the microbial community of contaminated soil. Objective 4: Engineer Biocontainment of Transgenes The University of York will investigate means to engineer containment in order to restrict the spread of, it will be desirable to restrict the spread of transgenes via pollen and seeds. Two approaches will be closely used to address this need including expression in plastid chromosomes and gene deletor technology. Separate vectors for xplA/B and nfsI will be constructed with flanking regions targeting plastid sequences in western wheatgrass. NOTE: The work being accomplished here by University of York is in conjunction with the University of Washington. University of York is the lead performer with the University of Washington being the co-performer. The efforts are not duplicated. The efforts are laid out in their corresponding proposals as to which performer is responsible for which tasks. As the University of York is a foreign entity, the research work required from the University of Washington is funded directly in lieu of being funding through University of York, thus avoiding the foreign exchange rate. This is a special notice prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation FAR 6.302-3(a)(2)(ii), whereas it is necessary to maintain an essential research or development capability to be provided by an educational or other nonprofit institution for the developmental work calling for the practical application of investigative findings and theories of a scientific or technical nature in the case of the follow-on for the continued provision of highly specialized services. However, any firm that believes it can meet this requirement may give written notification to the Contracting Officer within 15 days from the date of publication of this announcement. Supporting evidence must be in sufficient detail to demonstrate the ability to comply with the requirement. Responses received will be evaluated; however, a determination by the Government to compete the proposed procurement based on the responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. If no responses are received, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will proceed with awarding a cost contract to the University of Tennessee. Point of Contact for this requirement is Eileen Spears at 703-428-6384 or
[email protected], 7701 Telegraph Road, Alexandria, VA 22315.